The military psychiatrist accused of gunning down 12 people in Texas lived most of his life in the D.C. area where he was considered a caring Muslim by friends — but he had recently made disturbing statements about suicide attacks.
U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, earned a degree from Virginia Tech, completed a residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and attended prayer services nearly every day in Silver Spring for several years.
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He was described as a caring person by a local Muslim leader, but those who got to know him after he was transferred to Fort Hood in July recalled hearing disturbing statements that foreshadowed Monday’s violence.
» Born in Virginia
» Single with no children » Had been a psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for six years before being transferred to Fort Hood in July.
» Graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 1997.
» Received a medical degree in 2001 and a master’s degree in public health last year from the military’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda.
Six months ago Hasan came to the attention of the FBI because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings.
After lauding a Muslim U.S. Army soldier who killed comrades in Kuwait in 2003, Hasan wrote in an online posting, “If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers … that would be considered a strategic victory.”
Ishtiaq Chughtai, the president of the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, said Hasan attended prayers daily, often in his uniform, and showed no signs that he was conflicted about being deployed.
“It’s very sad for our people, the American people,” Chughtai said. “This is a tragedy that’s going to stay in the back of our minds for a long time.”
Hasan attended the Muslim center for about six years and seemed like a good person, Chughtai said. He gave people rides home and sometimes the money from his pocket.
But things appeared to go wrong for Hasan near the end of his time at Walter Reed. He received a poor evaluation while there.
At Fort Hood, Hasan exhibited a troubled state of mind. Retired Col. Terry Lee, who worked with Hasan at the psych ward at Fort Hood, told Fox News that about six months ago he heard Hasan say, “Maybe the Muslims should rise up and fight against the aggressor,” in Iraq and Afghanistan — referring to the U.S. Army.
Hasan earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 1997 from Virginia Tech, where he was a member of the ROTC.
He attended grad school in Bethesda at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine.
In 2007, he completed a residency in psychiatry at Walter Reed and just wrapped up a fellowship in disaster and preventive psychiatry, also at Walter Reed.
According to records, Hasan is a U.S. citizen and was registered to vote in 2001 and 2004 in Virginia, with an address in Vinton. He had also lived in Montgomery County, Arlington and Roanoke, Va.
In April 2008, Hasan was a participant in George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute task force that aimed at providing advice on security to the new administration.
The group met until January of this year and forwarded recommendations on to President Obama.
The Virginia-born soldier is single with no children.
Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson said Hasan’s family was originally from Jordan. He was scheduled to be deployed and he was upset about that, she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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